British Rowing provided Public Liability Insurance for Events.

To: All H&D ARA Event Secretaries. 
Most of you will be aware that we have a long standing agreement with British Rowing that subject to certain conditions being met and the appropriate payment being made they will allow H&D ARA Events use their Public Laibility Insurance for their events.
On seeking their approval to continue with this agreement for the 2018 season - as I always do at about this time of year - they have made the following statement - "There has been a long standing agreement between BR and the Coastal Associations (WEARA, Hants & Dorset and CARA) that as long as their competitions that are requesting BR insurance have been approved by their respective Associations and they confirm that a risk assessment and safety plan have been submitted, then we (BR) are able to include them on our insurance. However the requirements for insurance have recently been reviewed by insurers and in order to continue insuring events that are not affiliated to British Rowing, we are required by our Insurers to confirm the following:
The competition is run:

• under British Rowing Rules of Racing
• in full compliance of RowSafe, with the appropriate risk assessments documentation provided
• with current British Rowing umpires
• with a Race Committee of at least 3 Umpires in order to comply with the Rules of Racing.  

This clearly reflects a reconsideration of the risk by insurers who have indicated that compliance with the BR provisions in the Rules of Racing is a condition precedent to the granting of cover. Effectively, a non affiliated competition which doesn't meet this criteria will have to provide its own insurance cover. Accordingly, we are sorry that on this occasion, we are unable to assist you."
On behalf of the Association I have responded to BR stating that as far as I am concerned H&D Events do meet this criteria in the sense that while not operating under the BR Rules of Racing the H&D ARA Rules of Racing are very similar especially regarding safety; H&D Clubs and Events fully comply with Row Safe; H&DARA have their own certificated and qualified umpires - who are represented on the BR Umpires Committee and we have an event committee similar to BR's race Committee in place at events (H&DARA Event safety Rules. 2.0 Event Committee). I also intend to point out to them that they (BR) are happy to accept H&D ARA Race Officials for BR organised and run events - i.e the British Offshore Rowing Championships - where they are asking us for help - and presumably our Race Officials will not now be able to support this event - as by their own imposed conditions - they would not be able to use their own Public Liability Insurance if they use H&D Officials! I have asked BR to make these points to their insurers and request that they reconsider their decision. I have also ask the Wessex Region Rowing Council to make similar representations to BR on their Club/Events behalf.

I await a response from BR.
I am aware that some CARA Clubs - and certainly Newport in the H&D use their domestic Clubhouse Insurers to provide the public Liability Insurance for their events and following our pre-Christmas meeting with BR and their veiled threats on this issue I made contact with my own Club (Ryde's) Clubhouse insurers as they to have a provision to provide Public Liability Insurance for events at the Clubhouse as long as they are made aware of the dates. I had always assumed that this would cover the clubhouse but not the wider area that the Regatta takes place in - beach, pavement and park in Ryde's case but to my surprise they have advised me that this would all be covered - and with no increase in premium - so assuming the local authority accept this - then this is the solution for Ryde - and will actually save us money. This may be the solution for other Club's events - but you would need to check this with your Clubhouse insurers and I am not sure it would cover an event held away from your Clubhouse - as BTC, Southampton, Lymington, Poole, Southsea and Bournemouth do - and would certainly not apply to Swanage - where their is no Club so we will definitely need another solution. 
I will keep event Secretaries informed of any developments.
Regards.
 
Steve Bull.

Association Secretary.
Hants & Dorset Amateur Rowing Association.
www.hdara.co.uk